Open Books Challenge 2026: About Cabins, Camping, or the Wilderness

The Open Books Reading Challenge is a year-long reading challenge for people interested in pushing the boundaries of their reading. For full details of the program, please check-out our page at: https://www.rplmn.org/books-more/discover-more/open-books-reading-challenge

These are some ideas that fit the 2026 category "About cabins, camping, or the wilderness."

Happy Reading!

Updated December 31, 2025
Rochester Public Library RPL Staff
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Open Books Challenge 2026: About Cabins, Camping, or the Wilderness

The Open Books Reading Challenge is a year-long reading challenge for people interested in pushing the boundaries of their reading. For full details of the program, please check-out our page at: https://www.rplmn.org/books-more/discover-more/open-books-reading-challenge

These are some ideas that fit the 2026 category "About cabins, camping, or the wilderness."

Happy Reading!

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Liz at Marigold Lake
Barkley, Callie.
Paper Book
The Critter Club is going camping--but are they really ready for a weekend in the wilderness? When Liz invites the Critter Club girls to her house at Marigold Lake for the weekend, they are really excited for their camping adventure--especially because Marigold Lake is known for...
The lovely and the lost
Barnes, Jennifer
Paper Book
FROM THE #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE INHERITANCE GAMES   In this unputdownable standalone mystery from Jennifer Lynn Barnes, a teenage girl, her friends, and their search-and-rescue dogs must uncover long-buried secrets to save a life.<...
Back of beyond
Box, C. J.
Paper Book
Edgar® Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author C.J. Box delivers a thriller about a troubled cop trying to save his son from a killer in Yellowstone. Cody Hoyt, while a brilliant cop, is an alcoholic struggling with two months of sobriety when his mentor and AA sponsor Hank...
Kitty camp
Brockington, Drew
Paper Book
A girl accidentally finds herself at a summer camp for kitties in this hilarious companion to Puppy Bus from Drew Brockington, the creator of the CatStronauts series Heading to day camp for the first time, one girl can't wait to hike, swim, and sing around the campfire....
What kind of paradise : a novel
Brown, Janelle
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER * A WASHINGTON POST BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR * A teenage girl breaks free from her father's world of isolation to discover that her whole life is a lie in this "absorbing and well-crafted" (The Washington Post) novel from the New York Times bestselling author...
What wild women do
Brown, Karma
Paper Book
"Karma Brown keeps delivering knockout after knockout. She is an auto-buy author for me!" --Taylor Jenkins Reid The fates of two women. An abandoned camp. Secrets of the past that can no longer stay hidden. To get a break from a stalled career as a Hollywood...
Happiness for Beginners
Center, Katherine
Paper Book
As seen on Netflix - from the New York Times bestselling author of The Bodyguard and Hello Stranger Helen Carpenter can't quite seem to bounce back. Newly divorced at thirty-two, her life has fallen apart beyond her ability to put it together again. So...
The best worst camp out ever
Cepeda, Joe
Paper Book
A boy and his father go on a camping trip where everything goes wrong! Or does it? From Joe Cepeda, a Theodor Seuss Geisel and Pura Belpré Honor Winner, this early reader comic is perfect for first graders to read on their own! A boy and his father go on a camping trip!...
Dead of winter
Coates, Darcy
Paper Book
USA TODAY BESTSELLER * JULY 2023 LIBRARYREADS SELECTION It's not the snow you should fear--it's the person next to you. Christa hoped a retreat to the Rocky Mountains would help her escape her haunted past, but a brutal snowstorm strands her in an abandoned cabin with...
Secrets at Cedar Cabin
Coble, Colleen
Paper Book
Her mother lied about her identity and her husband wasn't who she thought he was. Can Bailey even trust herself anymore   Running for her life in the wake of her mother's murder, Bailey Fleming escapes to the only place she can think of--a remote, dilapidated cabin...
Drop dead sisters
Coombs, Amelia Diane
Paper Book
"Compulsively readable, Drop Dead Sisters is perfect for readers who love shows like Bad Sisters and Dead to Me. A mystery about three estranged sisters who accidentally kill someone? Yes, please." --Mindy Kaling Three sisters reunite on a family vacation and...
Henry Heckelbeck camping expert
Coven, Wanda
Paper Book
In this sixteenth Henry Heckelbeck adventure, Henry goes camping with his friends! Henry Heckelbeck is going camping for the very first time! Henry and his friends decide to play a wildlife-spotting game and compete for an extra s'more. But while his friends spot lizards and...
The wicked sister
Dionne, Karen
Paper Book
She thought she'd buried her past. But what if it's been hunting her this whole time? From the bestselling and award-winning author of The Marsh King's Daughter comes a startling novel of psychological suspense as two generations of sisters try to unravel their tangled...
Just Keep Walking
Downing, Erin Soderberg
Paper Book
Wild meets Gilmore Girls on the Trail, Just Keep Walking is a story of resilience and the healing and restorative power of wilderness and nature from acclaimed middle-grade and chapter-book author Erin Soderberg Downing. Two years after her parents' surprising and painful...
A walk in the park : the true story of a spectacular misadventure in the Grand Canyon
Fedarko, Kevin
Paper Book
* Winner of the 2024 National Outdoor Book Award in Outdoor Literature * Winner of the 2025 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction * Named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times, Air Mail, Smithsonian Magazine, and Financial Times ...
The stranger in the woods : the extraordinary story of the last true hermit
Finkel, Michael
Paper Book
Many people dream of escaping modern life, but most will never act on it. This is the remarkable true story of a man who lived alone in the woods of Maine for 27 years, making this dream a reality--not out of anger at the world, but simply because he preferred to live on his...
Genius Camp
Grabenstein, Chris
Paper Book
"Chris Grabenstein just might be the smartest writer for kids in the universe." --James Patterson The Smartest Kid in the Universe goes to genius camp in book two of this action-packed series from the New York Times bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's...
The vaster wilds
Groff, Lauren
Paper Book
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ONE OF BARACK OBAMA'S FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2023 NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY NPR, TIME, ESQUIRE, VOGUE, LA TIMES, SLATE, HARPER'S BAZAAR and others "Part historical, part...
Hollow
Grothe, Taylor
Paper Book
Don't Let the Forest In meets The Whispering Dark in a queer YA cult horror following a recently diagnosed autistic teen who becomes enmeshed in a community of outcasts harboring sinister secrets. "One of the best horror novels of the year, full stop. Haunting...
Playing with fire /
Henry, April
Paper Book
When a fire cuts off a popular trail in the Oregon forest, a small group trapped by the flames must find another way out--or die--in Playing with Fire, an unrelenting teen-vs-nature YA thriller by New York Times bestselling author April Henry. Natalia is not the...
Into the woods
Holiday, Jenny (Romance author)
Paper Book
Summer camp heats up for a grumpy rockstar and a cynical dance instructor in this funny and heartwarming enemies-to-lovers romance. Gretchen Miller is a bit of a badass. But even badasses get the blues when it comes to romance, and Gretchen could use a break from dating. So, when...
Cabin : off-the-grid adventures with a clueless craftsman
Hutchison, Patrick (Journalist)
Paper Book
THE NATIONAL BESTSELLER A memoir of the author's journey from an office job to restoring a cabin in the Pacific Northwest, based on his wildly popular Outside Magazine piece. Wit's End isn't just a state of mind. It's the name of a gravel road, the address...
Black woods, blue sky : a novel
Ivey, Eowyn
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER * The author of the Pulitzer Prize finalist The Snow Child returns to the mythical landscapes of Alaska with an unforgettable dark fairy tale that asks the question: Can love save us from ourselves? "No one writes like Eowyn Ivey."--Geraldine Brooks ...
Brown is beautiful
Kelkar, Supriya
Paper Book
For fans of Hair Love and Eyes that Kiss in the Corners, here is an empowering picture book about recognizing the beauty around you and within you by award-winning author Supriya Kelkar and rising star illustrator Noor Sofi. Brown is beautiful.
The bones beneath my skin
Klune, TJ
Paper Book
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY AND INDIE BESTSELLER! A spine-tingling standalone novel by #1 New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune--a supernatural road-trip thriller featuring an extraordinary young girl and her two unlikely protectors on the...
Into the wild
Krakauer, Jon.
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER * In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. Four months later, his decomposed body was found by a moose hunter. This is the unforgettable story of how Christopher Johnson...
Camp girls : fireside lessons on friendship, courage, and loyalty
Krasnow, Iris
Paper Book
New York Times bestselling author Iris Krasnow reflects with humor and heart on her summer camp experiences and the lessons she and her fellow campers learned there that have stayed with them throughout their lives. Iris Krasnow was...
Sunshine : how one camp taught me about life, death, and hope
Krosoczka, Jarrett
Paper Book
The extraordinary -- and extraordinarily powerful -- follow-up to Hey, Kiddo. When Jarrett J. Krosoczka was in high school, he was part of a program that sent students to be counselors at a camp for seriously ill kids and their families. Going into it, Jarrett was worried:...
Emmie & friends. [Volume number 9], Entirely Emmy
Libenson, Terri
Paper Book
The ninth book in the New York Times bestselling Emmie & Friends series--told from the alternating POVs of shy Emmie and class-clown Joe as they embark on a school camping trip.  Crushes. Camping. MIDDLE SCHOOL These days, Emmie doesn't feel so invisible....
North woods : a novel
Mason, Daniel
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER * A NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW TOP TEN BOOK OF THE YEAR A WASHINGTON POST TOP TEN BOOK OF THE YEAR * FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD AND THE MARK TWAIN AMERICAN VOICE IN LITERATURE AWARD A sweeping novel...
The wilderness
McCarthy, Steve
Paper Book
In this gorgeously illustrated whimsical tale, a young boy who fears the outdoors becomes lost in the forest . . . and discovers not only his courage but a new friend, too. The Vasylenko family are all adventurers who love wild places and wild things. All, that is, except young...
The intruder
McFadden, Freida
Paper Book
A #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Casey's cabin in the wilderness is not built for a hurricane. Her roof shakes, the lights flicker, and the tree outside her front door sways ominously in the wind. But she's a lot more worried about the girl she discovers lurking...
Fire mountain
Mentink, Dana
Paper Book
Fire rains from above as they fight to discover the truth and stay alive. In the shadow of a threatening volcano, long-haul trucker Kit Garrido wakes up in her crashed big rig, unable to recall what happened or why she's suddenly in possession of someone's baby. Fiercely independent...
Camp
Miller, Kayla
Paper Book
From New York Times bestselling author-illustrator Kayla Miller comes a graphic novel about venturing off to summer camp for the first time and stepping out of one's comfort zone, navigating new experiences, and the satisfaction of blazing your own trails. ...
The god of the woods
Moore, Liz
Paper Book
A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER and ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES'S NOTABLE BOOKS OF THE YEAR A NEW YORK TIMES "BEST THRILLER" and "BEST CRIME NOVEL" OF THE YEAR PEOPLE MAGAZINE'S #1 BOOK OF THE YEAR "Extraordinary . . ....
Camp prodigy
Palmer, Caroline (Comics creator)
Paper Book
Perfect for fans of Victoria Jamieson and Raina Telgemeier, this heartwarming middle grade graphic novel follows two nonbinary kids who navigate anxiety and identity while having fun and forming friendships at their summer orchestra camp. After attending an incredible concert,...
Notes from my captivity
Parks, Kathy
Paper Book
"Like Siberia itself, this story is wild, mysterious, full of danger--and then, quite unexpectedly, captivates you with its beauty. I was so glad I went on the adventure." --Goldy Moldavsky, New York Times bestselling author of Kill the Boy Band Notes from My Captivity is a sharp...
Hatchet
Paulsen, Gary.
Paper Book
Alone Thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson is on his way to visit his father when the single engine plane in which he is flying crashes. Suddenly, Brian finds himself alone in the Canadian wilderness with nothing but his clothing, a tattered windbreaker, and the hatchet his mother has given him as a...
Still life with bread crumbs
Quindlen, Anna.
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * A "marvelous romantic comedy" (The New York Times Book Review) from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Anna Quindlen "[A] wise tale about second chances, starting over, and going after what is most important in life."--Minneapolis...
Till summer do us part
Quinn, Meghan
Paper Book
*This limited deluxe edition features gorgeous printed edges* From New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Charts bestselling author Meghan Quinn comes a new laugh-out-loud summer rom-com. "I got what I wanted. I became buddy-buddy with my boss in an instant. But the cost will be...
One was lost
Richards, Natalie D.
Paper Book
From Natalie D. Richards, the New York Times bestselling author of teen suspense books, comes a pulse-pounding thriller about a group of teenagers being hunted through the woods, perfect for fans of Natasha Preston and Karen McManus. While on a mandatory hike in the woods, a flash flood...
Tell me what really happened
Sedoti, Chelsea
Ebook
Pioneer summer
Sylvanova, Kateryna
Paper Book
This star-crossed gay romance is a #1 bestselling TikTok sensation that made international news and catalyzed one of Russia's largest-ever crackdowns on LGBTQ representation The banned gay romance that took Russia by storm . . . In the waning days of the Soviet...
The lost book of first loves
Thayne, RaeAnne
Paper Book
From New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne comes a brand-new story about two women, a family secret and a lost manuscript that changes everything... Raised by her literary icon father Carson Wells, Alison Wells always felt loved, even though her mother died when...
The cabin at the end of the world : a novel
Tremblay, Paul
Paper Book
Paul Tremblay's terrifying twist to the home invasion novel--inspiration for the upcoming major motion picture from Universal Pictures "Tremblay's personal best. It's that good." -- Stephen King Seven-year-old Wen and her parents, Eric and Andrew, are vacationing at a remote...
Secluded cabin sleeps six
Unger, Lisa
Paper Book
"A deliciously tense ride." --Ruth Ware, New York Times bestselling author of One By One INSTANT BESTSELLER Three couples rent a luxury cabin in the woods for a weekend getaway to die for in this chilling locked-room thriller. ...
Ash's Cabin
Wang, Jen
Paper Book
A Kirkus Best Book of the YearA Booklist Best Book of the Year An Amazon Best Book of the Year Nominate for an Eisner Award (Best Publication for Teens) Ash has always felt alone. Adults ignore the climate crisis. Other...
Camp creepy
White, Kiersten
Paper Book
The third book in the middle-grade series that's part Scooby-Doo, part A Series of Unfortunate Events, and entirely genius! Follow the Sinister-Winterbottoms on their most outrageous adventure yet, when they find themselves at a normal summer camp! After leaving the...
Beartooth
Wink, Callan
Paper Book
The Economist 40 Best Books of 2025 * Apple's Best Books of the Year * Hudson Best of the Year * Kirkus Best Books of 2025 * Wall Street Journal Best Mysteries of 2025 "Skip Yellowstone for this rawer version of the West."--The...
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